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  1. Negotiations

EU-India

The European Union and India launched negotiations on a bilateral free trade and investment agreement in June 2007. However, between the governments, a number of controversies have been plaguing the talks. Delhi wants Brussels to relax its stringent food safety criteria which penalise Indian farm and fishery exports and to make it easier for Indian professionals to work in the EU. Europe is primarily out to win major openings of India’s services sector and broad liberalisation of foreign investment, while India does not want to discuss allowing European firms to compete in India’s government procurement market.

Indian social movements, including fisherfolk and labour unions, people living with HIV/AIDS and other health activists have been mobilizing against the FTA. International actions and campaigns have particularly targeted the proposed intellectual property provisions of the agreement, and the impact of the FTA on access to medicines.

last update: May 2012
Photo: MSF

New release of IPR chapter of India-EU free trade agreement
12-Jan-2011 CIS
A draft of the IPR chapter of the EU-India FTA, made publicly available for the first time, provides insight into India’s response in July 2010 to several EU proposals on intellectual property protection and enforcement.
Joint report on the state of play of negotiations for an EU-India FTA
8-Jan-2011
Presented to the EU-India Summit on 10 December 2010
Brussels closer to drinks trade deal with India
14-Dec-2010 FT
The EU-India FTA could represent a milestone for Europe’s spirits industry, which has long thirsted for a share of the world’s biggest whisky market.
Govt has no mandate to negotiate Indo-EU FTA: CPI(M)
11-Dec-2010
The CPI(M) today said the government has "no mandate" to negotiate the Indo-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) without consulting Parliament and political parties as it would adversely affect the economy and large sections of the people.
Q&A: Business Europe: ’India has advantage compared to the other BRIC countries’
9-Dec-2010 Business Standard
Philippe de Buck, secretary general of Business Europe, the most influential EU industry lobby in the region, spoke to Pallavi Aiyar to reflect on the European businesses’ perspective on the potential trade accord.
People before profit: Broad civil society alliance calls on European Commission to halt EU-India FTA
9-Dec-2010
On the eve of the 11th EU-India summit, a broad civil society alliance called on the European Commission and the Indian Government to immediately halt the ongoing free trade negotiations between India and the EU.
Negotiations on free trade with EU likely to conclude by March: Anand Sharma
8-Dec-2010 The Hindu
"By March, we expect to conclude the negotiations on the free trade agreement," Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told PTI.
Trade Invaders - how big business is driving the EU-India free trade talks
8-Dec-2010 Vimeo
This video illustrates how, in the EU-India FTA negotiations, the EU Commission and the Indian government have handed the agenda over to corporate lobby groups. This big-business-first agenda will put at risk the livelihoods of millions of small farmers, street traders and patients.
EU Commission uses business summit and aid money to push EU-India free trade talks
8-Dec-2010 CEO
As business leaders meet for the EU-India business summit in Brussels this week, a report by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) revealed today that the EU Commission is using the event to actively orchestrate big business support for the EU-India free trade agreement, despite criticism from small businesses and people’s movements
Video clips: Briefing on EU-India FTA
8-Dec-2010 Forum against FTAs
The Forum against FTAs organised a briefing meeting to raise concerns and interact with Communist Party of India Member of Parliament, D. Raja and Green Party Member of the European Parliament, Ms Franziska Keller. We have made a set of 8 clips that give an account of the issues raised during the briefing meeting.